The second week has been a fantastic opportunity for teachers and learners to settle in and practice following routines and being at school.

Week 2

The second week has been a fantastic opportunity for teachers and learners to settle in and practice following routines and being at school. A highlight for me is each morning at 8:55am, when we come together as a whole school to sing our karakia and other waiata. Please ensure your child can connect with our school as part of this important activity by getting them to school with enough time to put their bag away and settle into their day.

This term's QuEST aims to grow the understanding that Communities need rules that are fair and understood by everyone. Already we are seeing incredible learning across our school related to Te Tiriti o Waitangi/The Treaty of Waitangi and I would encourage you to take a moment to watch and hear the depth of understanding our learners have generated in a very short time. I am excited to see how this growing understanding connected to Social Science translates to other areas as learners come to explore the rules they know for themselves and others, the importance of understanding rules and the ideas of fairness and equity.

Curriculum Changes and Teacher-Only Days

You may have seen recent media coverage about the rollout of the refreshed curriculum. At UHPS, we see this as an opportunity for growth - for both our teachers and our learners. Over the next few newsletters, we will share how we are implementing these changes, what this means for teaching, assessment, and reporting, and how you can support your child’s learning journey at home.

We also want to provide clarity around Teacher Only Days. These days are allocated by the Ministry of Education and are a requirement for all schools. These days allow our teachers to engage in essential professional learning that enhances teaching and learning for all students. When schools are closed for Teacher Only Days, they are required to make up for this time to ensure students receive the full number of school days in the year.

These days are facilitated by external professional learning providers, who have limited availability.

To minimise disruption for families, we have carefully scheduled two Teacher Only Days for 2025. School will be closed on the following days.

📅 Friday 11th April
📅 Thursday 19th June

We’re sharing these dates in advance to help with planning. Please take a moment to check your calendar, as there has been a change from a previously shared date due to circumstances beyond our control. We appreciate your understanding and support.

Have a fantastic week everybody - I hope to see you make the most of Whānau Friday, by popping into your child's class before school on this day, or perhaps at our first assembly of the year, this Friday at 2:15pm.

Ngā mihi nui

James Wheaton

Acting Principal